IUSS Alert 206 (August 2022)

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IUSS News

World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS22)

With more than 1,600 soil science practitioners from various disciplines attending the Congress in person and several hundreds online, the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science organised by the British Soil Science Society in Glasgow between 31 July and 5 August 2022 was a resounding success.

The Congress theme, ‘Soil Science – crossing boundaries, changing society’ focused on the link between soil and society, with sessions covering soil systems, soil processes, soil management and how we interact with and use soils around the world. Specialist workshops and discussion sessions took place across a wide range of soil disciplines. The core programme was supported by tours and a cultural and arts programme for delegates and the wider public to explore our diverse environment and culture. The specific policymakers’ programme, held on Tuesday 2 August 2022, was particularly well attended, with standing room only, and explored how scientific research can inform environmental policy.

In an address recorded specially for the World Congress of Soil Science 2022, screened at the Closing Ceremony, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales expounded on the importance of healthy soil and the role of science in understanding its function and in supporting industry and policy towards effective management practices.

Read more: https://soils.org.uk/wcss22/

11^th SUITMA conference is approaching

There are only a few days left until the SUITMA 11 online conference* starts. Here you find the programme:

https://suitma11.org/conference-program/

Here is the link to register before the meeting starts (that is to exclude bots): https://tu-berlin.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5ErcOyqrT4qHNDAP4Tl-55R5b5JHeeSXbr5

Looking forward to meet you, if you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact the organisers at suitma2022@gmail.com.

Conference website: https://suitma11.org/

IUSS Stimulus fund – last reminder

IUSS has established an annual Stimulus Fund to support suitable activities within the Commissions and Working Groups. Where appropriate, the Fund will also support other activities to assist the development of Soil Science generally but particularly in regions of the world where lack of resources limit opportunities.

Deadline for submissions: 15 September 2022

General News

Glinka World Soil Prize – call for nominations still open

The Glinka World Soil Prize recognizes the efforts of soil scientists and/or institutions in their fight for healthy soils. The call for nominations is open and FAO Members, GSP focal points and partners are invited to nominate their champion. This annual prize consists of a cash prize of 15 000 USD and a medal.

Closing date: 1 September 2022

[From Global Soil Partnership communication, August 2022]

King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award – final call for nominations

Did you organize an outstanding event for #WorldSoilDay 2021 under the motto “Boost Soil Productivity, Halt Soil Salinization”? If yes, take your chance and complete the APPLICATION FORM/DOSSIER. Every year on 5 December, the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award prizes the most successful campaign celebration of the previous year with a 15 000 USD check and a medal.

Deadline to apply: 1 September 2022

[From Global Soil Partnership communication, August 2022]

What about organic farming practices influence soil health and biodiversity in these systems?

In the latest GSBI Blog “Beneath Our Feet” Professor Derek H. Lynch of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia reviews what researchers know regarding what maintains soil health and soil biodiversity across many organic farming sectors.

[From GSBI Newsletter – August 2022]

LUCAS 2018 TOPSOIL data now published

Access to the 2018 LUCAS TOPSOIL data is now available. For more information and to make a request for access, go to the website below.

[From GSBI Newsletter – August 2022]

EU Soil Observatory 2021 Report

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission recently released its 2021 report that contains a synthesis of achievements in its first year of existence.

[From GSBI Newsletter – August 2022]

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops

Due to the Corona pandemic and ensuing travel restrictions many of the events planned for 2020 and 2021 had to be cancelled or postponed. For a current list of upcoming events, please consult the IUSS website: https://www.iuss.org/meetings-events/

2022

14th Congress of the Croatian Society of Soil Science – Soil degradation challenges in agricultural production

12-16 September 2022

Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia

Deadline for fee payment: 1 September 2022

The aim of congress is to provide its participants with new knowledge as well as enriched and advanced scientific understandings in the fields of soil science and soil management. Participants will be able to enrich their knowledge of various topics from the fields of geology, pedology, plant nutrition and fertilization, plant physiology, tillage, forestry, environmental protection and other scientific disciplines. Environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural production and biodiversity, sustainable water usage, modern fertilizers, conservation tillage – sequestration and carbon footprint and soil repair and soil health measures – are only few topics which will be represented at this year’s congress.

English will be the working language, being obligatory for all oral presentations. Croatian languages may be used for poster presentations, with an abstract in English required. There will not be simultaneous translations.

Congress website: https://www.tloznanstvo.eu/

NICOLE and COMMON FORUM joint workshop

24 – 25 November 2022

Athens, Greece

This workshop aims to highlight the new opportunities and challenges that the EU Soil Strategy brings and promote feasible solutions in the application of circularity principles to the very demanding and complicated topic of contaminated land management across the EU.

Abstracts should be sent by email to Nan Su before September 16, 2022

For the complete list of upcoming events, please see the event calendar on the IUSS website: https://www.iuss.org/meetings-events/

New publications

Modeling Processes and Their Interactions in Cropping Systems: Challenges for the 21st Century

Edited by Lajpat R. Ahuja, Kurt C. Kersebaum, Ole Wendroth. Published by American Society of Agronomy, Inc. / Crop Science Society of America, Inc. / Soil Science Society of America, Inc., 27 June 2022. Book Series: Advances in Agricultural Systems Modeling. 402 pages, Print ISBN: 9780891183853 |Online ISBN: 9780891183860 |DOI: 10.1002/9780891183860. Price e-book 156 USD, hardcover 195 USD.

In Modeling Processes and Their Interactions in Cropping Systems: Challenges for the 21st Century, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a comprehensive and up-to-date scientific textbook devoted to teaching the modeling of soil-plant-climate-management processes at the upper undergraduate and graduate levels. The book emphasizes the new opportunities and paradigms available to modern lab and field researchers and aims to improve their understanding and quantification of individual processes and their interactions. The book helps readers quantify field research results in terms of the fundamental theory and concepts broadly generalizable beyond specific sites, as well as predict experimental results from knowledge of the fundamental factors that determine the environment and plant growth in different climates.

Vanadium in Soils and Plants

Edited By Jörg Rinklebe. Published August 17, 2022 by CRC Press, 296 pages, 79 B/W illustrations, hardback ISBN 9781032002293, eBook ISBN 9781003173274. Price hardback 99.99 GBP, eBook 89.99 GBP.

Vanadium is an essential element for humans and animals. The toxicity of vanadium at higher concentrations could be a global environmental concern and a significant issue for both environmental protection and economic benefits. The relevance of anthropogenic vanadium in the environment has increased significantly in recent years due to an increased demand for vanadium in high-temperature industrial activities. This book summarizes vanadium’s current research and explains its behavior and mobilization in the environment, especially in soils, sediments, water and plants. Through case studies from various countries, it discusses critical limits set and risk assessment approaches and remediation approaches of vanadium-contaminated soils.

Soil Biology in Tropical Ecosystems

By Tancredo Souza. Springer, 2022. 139 pages, 2 b/w illustrations, 29 illustrations in colour. Hardcover ISBN 978-3-031-00948-8, eBook ISBN 978-3-031-00949-5, DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00949-5. Price Hardcover 98.99 EUR, eBook 74.98 EUR.

This textbook explores the complex nature of soil biological communities and their environments, and covers deserts, rainforests, seasonal tropical forests, dry deciduous forests, and island environments in the tropical zone. It provides essential information on soil biology concepts, ecological processes, plant-soil feedback, trophic structure, and land use effects on soil’s biological properties. The book also offers an updated approach to soil biota and microbiota and their interactions with plants that regulate the structures and functions of tropical ecosystems. Uniquely, it addresses island environments and natural disasters, shedding new light on soil organisms recovering tropical ecosystem functions. Further topics include ecological processes, plant-soil interactions, trophic communities, molecular approaches, and land use, making the book a valuable asset for students, educators and researchers engaged in the Environmental Sciences, Biodiversity and Conservation, Soil Ecology, Soil Biology, Ecology, Zoology, and Soil Biota Classification using classical and molecular tools.

Job offers

If you are interested in working in soil sciences and related fields of expertise, please see current job offers at: https://www.iuss.org/jobs/

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